


playing with the kids

by AmandaBecker



Series: What if? [5]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-02-12 14:11:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21477664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmandaBecker/pseuds/AmandaBecker
Summary: What if..... playing with the kids would be more?
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood & Sidney Parker, Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker
Series: What if? [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1544161
Comments: 52
Kudos: 175





	1. At the river

Alicia and Jenny called Charlotte excited and were running forward to her. 

“Charlotte come, play with us.“ 

“Of course, that is why I am here.“ She answered with a big smile on her face. 

They were hearing a splash of water and Henrys screams. Charlotte immediately run to the shore and looked worried around, till she found Henry standing in the grass, and his uncle Sidney drenched climbing out of the river. 

He held a wooden ship in his hand and laughed so loud and beautiful, she was taken aback. She hadn’t imagined his voice could be so full of happiness and his face beamed as he shook is head. The water drips all over Henry and he was screaming in jest and Sidney was saying something, she couldn’t hear. 

Than Henry ran away, Sidney ran after him, trying to catch him. Alicia and Jenny bounced towards their uncle as well. He turned to them than and stood still for a moment as he cached the sight of Miss Heywood. Not aware that she would be a victim of his attack she stood still where she was. Only as he getting closer and closer she ran off.

Sidney tried to catch the children one after another, they hided behind the trees and bushes and Charlotte couldn’t resist the urge to look at him. The white shirt clutched to his chest, showed the muscles beneath. Also his breeches didn’t let much lose for the imagination. Her heart was thumbing by that and she looked away. Ashamed.

The branches cracked and she turned around, there he was. Tall and dark, with all his muscles. Eyes dark like his wet hair. A curl fell to his brow and her fingers tickled to brush it from his forehead. Her eyes fluttered and she tried to turn in the other direction but she was cornered of trees, bushes and Mr Sidney Parker.

“I will get you.“ 

He whispered dangerously and stepped closer. Eyes widen in mocking way and a smile tucked on her lips, as she searched for a way out of this situation. But the thrill of what he would do when he could catch her dizzied her. Her heart was pumping loudly and her breath cached up by the image she saw on her mind.

Charlotte turned again and tried to escape between two bushes in front of her. When she heard him stepping closer. “I got you.“ 

Growled he in her ear. Why is he so close? Turning around she saw he was an only one or two step away from her. 

“Oh, no. You will never...“ 

She cried and tried to get away alongside him. But he grinned, nodded his head, titled to the side, smiling. Sidney Parker smiled. At her. A happy, earnest smile. With sparkling dark eyes he stepped even closer. Held her at the elbow and whispered. 

"I got you now." 

A shiver ran down her spine. Goose bumps spread out on her neck and wandered deeper. Deeper. Deeper. "It's pretty unfair of you." 

She sulked in fun, like Alicia earlier. "Why is that?" 

he asked with that deep voice and she trembled. He saw it, he knew it. But he did not let her go. His grip became stronger, his eyes even darker.

Suddenly her mouth got dry and she licked her lips without thinking. Sidney looked down on her lips, looked back in her eyes, down on her lips again. He stepped closer and whispered her name. 

"Miss Heywood." 

"Mr Parker." She stretched her chin up to him in a teasing way.

"Charlotte. " He let go of her elbow.

"Yes?"

"May I ask you something?" he looked down on her. Charlotte could only nod.

"Would it be possible..." he smiled a little. 

"Would you allow me..?"

"Yes?“ she asked impatiently. 

“To kiss you?“ 

She couldn’t believe what he was asking, she couldn’t believe he was awaiting an answer. Was he serious or would he blame her and laughing at her, because it was meant in jest? 

“First you have to catch me!“ she cried and run away so quickly he was surprised that someone so small could ran so fast. 

He ran after her round by round, he cached the children on his way again, till they were all exhausted and they begged him to stop. Everyone except Miss Heywood.

As Mary called them to get back to the house they went to Trafalgar house in silence. Everyone with rosy cheeks, smiling and happy. As the kids ran forward in a competition, the adults fell back.

They passed a tree, big enough to protect the entire Parker family in the rain. Sidney grabbed her, swung her around, and pressed her back against the tree trunk. 

“Caught.“


	2. after the tree kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what if playing with the kids, wouldn't be the end?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vicsterispussed1 had the wish I would continue this as a story, so here is chapter 2

After they were almost caught by Alicia, who came back to them to bring them into the house, Charlotte felt overwhelmed by feelings. Her lips were still tickling by the feeling of his kiss under the tree. She couldn't even remember what exactly happened. One moment they went after the children, the next moment she heard him say "caught", and when she felt the trunk in her back, she penetrated his heat through her clothes. His warm hand on her cheek. His soft lips on hers. The grip on her waist became tighter every moment, his breath faltering.

Her heart was beating against her chest. She felt his through his shirt, she didn't even know how her hand had got there. The other hand was at his side. When he kissed her even more, she couldn't stop herself from clawing her fingers into the material.

“Charlotte, uncle Sidney!“

Alicia called and he stepped away. Suddenly she felt the lost of him and his look on her let her cheek burn even more and she lowered her eyes. He cleared his throat and cried to Alicia their were coming.

After they leave the shadow of the tree, Alicia took Charlottes hand and pulled her with her, they almost run.

“Mother waits with the tea and cake for you.“

The situation at the table was terrible. Charlotte felt his gaze on her, she couldn’t even dare to look up to him. When her thoughts wandered to the tree again, her cheek burns and she felt the overwhelming feeling of his touch on her skin once again.

“Charlotte, are you alright?“ Mary asked.

“Yes.“ Charlotte looked her in the eyes and smiled, and saw at the corner of her eyes that Sidney looked at her in concern.

“You look feverish.“

Mary noticed. Startled she looked up again and her eyes fluttered. She saw Sidney bit his lip and supressed a grin. She was suddenly ashamed. He had kissed her and now he was laughing about it? Immediately she got angry, told Mary it perhaps it was the run home with Alicia, and as she finished her tea, she excused herself from the room so quick, Sidney was not sure if she even sat there a few minutes ago.

“Have you made her angry again?“

Mary asked him. Sidney wasn’t sure anymore if it was the right decision to kiss her. He didn’t even know if she liked it, although it felt right for him, it doesn’t mean it felt right for her. She was an innocent after all.

“I don’t know.“

He answered honestly and excused himself too. Mary shook her head, she had the feeling that something was going on with the two and maybe she has to push them in the right direction.

After he searched for her in the whole house and didn’t find her, he went upstairs to change his still a little damp clothed. As he went passing her room, he heard her mumble. He stopped knocked at the door and as she opened it, his heart stopped. She looked like she had cried and he felt a cold wave of guilt and shame washed over him.

“Miss Heywood.“

“Mr Parker,“ she was frightening when she looked so angry up to him, her eyes were burning.

“What do you want?“ she asked with her sharp tongue, but he noticed it was shaking a little. Eyes narrowed, she stood in the door, hold it firm in place, and her knuckles went white.

Sidney looked over his shoulder and tried to speak very low, so nobody would hear them.

"I wonder..if..If you are alright.“ He whispered.

"Why should I not?“ she asked pugnacious.

"I thought... you're...I thought... you were... you were..."

"What?"

"Um... I don't know... what to say." He stuttered.

"Hmm, let me help you..." she said sarcastically, "overwhelmed by the feeling that you kissed me. Ashamed because I allowed it to happen, hurt because you played with my feelings and laughed at me?“

"What?“ He couldn't catch up with their quick succession of accusations.

"What do you think you did there? And then to laugh? Now go and tell your friends how funny it was to confuse me and laugh at me and...".

Tears jumped in her eyes, she looked away. He was shocked, why did she think he was laughing at her?

"I had never been kissed before and it is... yes, I guess it is a kind of game for you... and..." she couldn't look up to him anymore and closed the door.

Without thinking, without knocking, he went after her and locked the door behind him. She heard the door closing and turned to him in disbelieve.

“Mr Parker.“ She hissed.

“I am sorry.“ He looked on the floor, ashamed and overwhelmed to be in her room.

“I didn’t think, I just... want.“

“What do you want?“ she asked with a dried throat, her whisper was scratchy.

“...Make things clear.“

She shrugged her shoulders, stretched her chin and put on a brave face. She expected rejection, blame, and a disgusted or amused expression on his face. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Charlotte opened her eyes again.

He stood by the door, looked her straight in the face and told her calmly in his most tender voice.

“I am also overwhelmed of the feeling of kissing you. I am not ashamed of doing so. And I would never laugh at you.“ he stared in her eyes, she had to look away to be able to say the next words.

“But I saw you supressing a grin down at the table.“

“Yes,“ he smiled his irresistible beautiful smile and Charlotte’s cheeks began to burn again.

“I was overwhelmed with the feelings, I didn’t even know, I still be able to feel.“

Her doe eyes widen even more by his words and he stepped closer to her. And as if she was pulled to him, she went closer to him, in the same moment.

“What feelings?“ she asked it, was barely to hear by the hammering of his heart in his chest. Sidney thought it would explode out of his chest.

“I feel whole when you're with me. The feeling of never wanting to do anything else but hold you in my arms. The feeling of having to kiss you as if you were my last breath.“

He said calmly in a low whisper as he stood in front of her. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she looked up to him.

“Please tell me, you feel anything, too.“

He begged. She took a deep breath again, stepped closer and answered.

“The same.“


	3. pillow fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidney woke up, cause he hears her screaming and runs to her rescue.  
What he finds then confuses him a little.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's another What if....

Sidney woke up from a loud bang. He couldn't assign it at first, he was still in his dreamed memory of kissing Charlotte under the tree, holding hands with her in her room. But after a while he thought he could hear loud screaming. It sounded as if someone was calling for help. A woman. Miss Heywood. Charlotte.

Quickly jumping out of bed, he almost forgot to put on a shirt.

But he didn't care. Charlotte needed help. He could still hear her scream.

Following the noises, he walked out of his room where he now stayed again and followed the corridor to the back rooms. It was Henry's.   
Wumms. Wumms.

"Ah, no. No let go of me," she screamed. Sidney ran opened the door. Scared.

What he saw amazed him. The children, armed with wooden swords and sticks fought with each other in a game. But what completely irritated him was she.

Charlotte lay on the floor. The brown dress she was wearing and her petticoat twisted and slipped up, one leg bare to the knee. He could see the green of her garter. Distracted, he didn't notice Henry coming at him and throwing a pillow at his head.

And since Mr Parker had done nothing but stare at Miss Heywood, the pillow hit him unexpectedly in the middle of his face. Still distracted, but he caught it.

"Princess Charlotte look, the Prince has come to our rescue," Jenny shouted. Charlotte looked him in the face and immediately noticed where his gaze wandered again and again.

"Oh." She blushed and smoothed her skirts.

"I erm..I heard you scream..." he tried an explanation attempt.

He just caught a fleeting smile that lit her face before the next pillow hit him in the face again. This time it was Alicia. Big laughter from all present. The loudest was Miss Heywood's and he thought he had never heard anything more beautiful. His heart contracted at the sound. Shaking his head to get rid of the feeling, he threw the pillow back with force. A screeching and shouting made the room shake. His nieces and nephew ran around and fell over each other as he tried to get someone with the second pillow. When he found Henry he wanted to throw the pillow at, he pulled out and threw directly.... at Miss Heywood.

"Oh, that..." he was about to apologize as she threw her head back and laughed out loud. It was vibrating all over his body. Then she called out loudly...

"Attack!" and ran, as far as it was possible in the medium-sized room, swinging the pillow towards him. He just ducked away, but she caught him in the back of his head. He pretended it hurt pretty badly.

"Oh, Mr Parker!" she said softly and leaned over to him.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." The grin was a lie to her words.

He rubbed the back of his head, smiling at her with glittering eyes and her heart stopped for a moment.

How handsome he was. These eyes. So intense.

With her big eyes she looked at him a little dreamy, but after a moment, she had herself under control again and smiled shyly at him. He turned around and leaned forward, of course on purpose. At the sight of his..... Lower back Charlotte blushed and turned away.

The children ran into each other and it became a real wild pillow fight that made Charlotte think of home. For a brief moment, her thoughts drifted off to Willingden. Distracted as she was, she didn't really notice the following.

But suddenly it made a loud boom and they all fell on each other in a ball of arms and legs. Well, they all fell on Mr Parker. The kids were laughing and screaming.

Charlotte stopped laughing as soon as she realized what had happened. Immediately pushing on one arm away from him, she shifted the angle and was now really in a very...... awkward position, as Sidney noted. He adjusted her so that it was comfortable again. Her eyes hadn't left his all along. Cheeks weren't blushing, but she had turned a little pale.

"Forgive me."

His scratchy voice let a shiver run through her body and she trembled slightly. Sidney's hands lay on her waist. Slowly he raised his head and she lowered hers. Completely forgotten, the children were, but before they did what they both wanted so much, Jenny shouted....

"I'm hungry!"

"Breakfast" the other two called and jumped up.

Charlotte got up in a flash, she had no idea if she had eventually hurt him, because he squeezed his eyes shot as if he was in pain. She was slightly dizzy. Either from jumping up too fast or from him......she would rather not think about what almost happened. And that in front of the children! Luckily they hadn't noticed anything.

Reaching out her hand to Sidney to help him up. Of course it was complete nonsense, she could never pull him up. But as enthusiastic as he took her hand, he seemed to need physical contact before they left Henry's room. Who knew when the next time they had time for.....some privacy?

"We have to clean up." she admonished the children and told Sidney to leave the room.

"But it was just so funny, Charlotte." Jenny sulked.

"Yes, I thought so too." Sidney said with this special smile to Charlotte.

Sidney smiled into the round and then followed the kids outside while Charlotte picked up the pillows. To calm her nerves and her galloping heart, she was happy to be alone for a moment. Breathing deeply, she turned to the door, where he stood and waited for her.

"That wouldn't be necessary..." softly, almost shyly, she looked up at him as she approached.

He let out a brief throatily laugh.

"It was, I wanted..." they stood now before the room and he nodded. Only with this look could she make sure that he did what she asked. What could she let him do?

A button on his shirt collar was torn off by the wild play and Charlotte could see his clavicles underneath. A short image scurried through her head as she pulled the fabric hard to feel the skin underneath.

"Miss Heywood," he murmured in a teasing tone, "Charlotte..." he whispered close to her ear.

His breath tickled her skin, her neck hair rising. She leaned closer to hear better, almost touching him. Embarrassed and anxious for distraction, Sidney asked again.

"Charlotte, are you here?"

"Yes?" She asked back absent and waited. Sidney looked at her piercingly and suddenly they both knew how close they were. Their eyes caught for a moment. A moment too long, for they knew that there would be no turning back now. He leaned closer and kissed her lovingly, but much too briefly on her full lips.

Charlotte leaned more in Sidney as he wrapped an arm around her waist, the kiss became a little more.....almost greedy. The grip on her side became tighter, his fingers scratching her skin underneath and she had to gasp for air. Those made Sidney come back to his senses.

"We shouldn't do this."

"Hmmm" nodded, she agreed with him, but did not open her eyes yet.

She was like a sleepwalker. His warm fingers stroked briefly over her blushing cheek and after her eyes opened and flickered a few times, she shrugged briefly. But instead of stepping away from him, she stretched out to him and stole one last kiss.

"Charlotte." Confusion was written on her face and he grinned amused.

"Oh, I'm sorry" was the only thing she could say.

"I am not."


	4. shuttlecock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids are trying to teach Charlotte shuttlecock, but they need their uncle's help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a while, but I wanted to continue this story as well.....

When Sidney went down to the river later that afternoon, he could hardly believe his eyes. Charlotte was playing badminton with the children. Or at least she tried to. Alicia and Jenny tried to teach her, but failed because Henry kept interrupting and trying to explain it to Charlotte. She looked confused. When she noticed him, the adorable smile appeared on her beautiful blushed face and Sidney stumbled briefly at the sight of her.

The children ran towards him and almost brought him down with the stormy greeting.

"Mr Parker." She stopped where she was.

"Miss Heywood." His dark voice made her shiver.

"Uncle Sidney, you must help Charlotte."

"What for?" he asked innocently, although he hoped the children would demand what he secretly wished for.

"With the hitting, she can't get it right." called Henry.

"I've never played it before, Sir Henry!" Charlotte declared.

Sidney took the bat and explained in words what she had to do. Alicia moaned annoyed and finally suggested to Sidney what he had hoped for.

"Show her the same way you taught us."

"All right." Jenny and Alicia picked up their rackets and walked a bit further, to their own playing field between the trees.

Henry took his position and as Sidney stood behind Charlotte, she looked at him somewhat irritated over her shoulder.

"Miss Heywood," he nodded encouragingly and handed her the bat. He adjusted it correctly in her hand and gave Henry a signal to play. Of course, she missed it again. She was so embarrassed in front of Sidney. She wanted to do it right.

"Well, I guess I missed."

He took the racket from her and played back and forth with Henry a couple of times without the ball falling down even once. She rolled her eyes and looked at him with a twisted face, as if she had bitten into a sour lemon.

"Show-off." she muttered under her breath, but of course he heard it.

"Come here," he said and handed her the bat again.

"You have to play like this," he pulled the bat towards her body, "or hit like this," he moved her arm back and forth as if she were a doll. And she felt like one.

Charlotte didn't even listen to what he was telling her anymore. She could only hear the beating of her heart in her chest and the noise in her head increased with every little touch. He pressed himself against her from behind and she knew deep down in her brain that it was unseemly. Like the kisses in the morning after the pillow fight. That if someone saw them like this, that...would be... but she couldn't even think it through.

Her brain paused, and she just felt. His warm breath on her neck and cheek. His warm hand on hers on the bat. The other hand on her hip to turn her into position caused a tingling sensation. The broad chest on her shoulders, his belt scratched on her back. Her breath went faster and faster and she breathed in and out, trembling.

"Are you all right?" he whispered in her ear.

"You...irritate me." she admitted.

"I know." he giggled and took a step back. With a mean look in her eyes, she looked at him, and Henry called out that he was about to serve.

The shuttlecock came flying like lightning and of course she didn't catch it. Again. Although it was close, but still she had to bend down again to pick up the ball. She caught Sidney staring at her, or rather a certain piece of her. She blushed and frowned at him. But he just grinned and didn't seem a bit ashamed of his obvious......admiration.

She tried to serve, but the ball got stuck in the net of her bat. Slightly annoyed, she fumbled around the net and tried to free the ball until his warm hands lay over hers and he took it from her hand. He released the ball without taking his eyes off her and with a wry grin he returned the bat and shuttlecock to her.

"Shall I show you how to play?"

"Yes, please." She hated herself at that moment, as her voice was week and trembled.

He took up position. Behind her again. Sidney deliberately pushed his chest into her back. He placed his right hand on hers on the bat. Warm and big. Force seemed to flow from this to hers. The other hand briefly at her hip, she felt he was holding her in that position on purpose so she could feel other parts of him. His leg lay from behind between hers. Charlotte had to swallow several times in order not to run away. Only when she heard his shaky breath and turned her head slightly towards him, did she realize that he felt the same way. His lips opened slightly, his breath was as fast as hers and his cheeks were slightly red. He had closed his eyes, which were only opened again when Henry called him. Disoriented for a blink of an eye, he looked at her slightly embarrassed, took a deep breath and leaned back against her.

When he took the shuttlecock out of her hand and held it over the bat, arm around her, she couldn't help but draw the air in sharply with and with a little groan let it out again. He hugged her from behind and it felt so good, but forbidden. She blushed deeper than ever before and only the soft giggle behind her kept her from fainting.

'Oh that monster!' she thought very ungentle and knew she had to do something about it.

This serve worked and when Henry shot the shuttlecock back, her arm bounced forward with Sidney’s power and the ball bounced back. A few times it worked back and forth until he let go of her and she lost her grip due to the sudden loss of his strength and let the bat fly with the ball. Everyone laughed. And Henry came running to her with the bat and told her to just look at him and his uncle and pushed Charlotte towards the blankets.

After a while, she had watched the girls and memorized their movements, she was sure she could play now. She stood up and moved slowly, almost sensually, towards Sidney and he was so distracted that he didn't see the sizzling shuttlecock coming and lost the point to Henry. Sidney was still staring at Charlotte and he had the strange feeling that she was up to something.

"What is it?" he asked and only then did he realize how rough his voice was.

She was an appearance. In her white dress with little blue dots everywhere. The blue ribbon and buttons on the front caught his focus for a moment and he had to swallow hard and force himself to look at her face again. Her reddened cheeks and her shining eyes seemed to tell him something else, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was on a mission.

"I'm ready." she breathed, and all his blood boiled up and flooded every part of his body.

"What...what for?" he stuttered. Oh that beast. She knew exactly what she was doing he was in trouble. So much trouble.

"Revenge" she whispered as she stood right in front of him and his mouth became dry.

His body reacted to her in a shocking way and he looked away from her anxiously to the children, who had already found another occupation and seemed to be chasing each other.

"Revenge?"

"Yes, sweet, sweet revenge." she grinned with a glow in her eyes that made him tremble inside. Oh, she'd kill him one of these days!

She then bent down in such an innocent yet lascivious way that he felt he had to take a bath in the cold river right now.

"Here" she breathed as she held the shuttlecock towards him and with that she turned around, went to the place where Henry had been standing before, leaning down, knowing that he was watching her pick up the left-over bat and looking over at him with an innocent expression. She positioned herself, as she had observed by the children and Sidney, with her legs apart, holding her upper body in a slightly bent position to react faster and not just to distract Sidney.

It was a relief to see him so desperate and she couldn't help but grin. She nodded to him and as he still couldn't think clearly he hit the ball very lightly and she hit it back with full force. Sidney could not reach it and had to bend down to pick it up. She looked at his beautiful backside and of course she only raised her eyes when he was already standing again. She wanted him to know that she did it on purpose.

In no time, she had found a rhythm and after playing back and forth a couple of times, they both seemed to have forgotten that she actually wanted to distract him. But she did, every time she ran or jumped towards a shuttlecock, her bosom bounced so beautifully that Sidney could only stare at her and sigh loudly.

She didn't hit every ball and sometimes she bent over and sometimes he bent over to pick up the shuttlecock and again and again they caught each other looking at each other. The eyes showed the feelings behind, interest and in-love or even a little lustful.

When Mary and Tom joined them, they continued to play quietly. They even managed to concentrate only on the shuttlecock, it didn't even fall down when they started talking. Until Tom made a remark that made them both blush and lose concentration.

"You two are so good together. Splendid, splendid!"

"You'd make a good team.“ Mary said, looking back and forth between them.

"But now it's time to eat."

And while everyone strolled back to Trafalgar House, Sidney asked in an innocent tone,

"So, Miss Heywood" he grinned mysteriously, "did you enjoy the play?"

"Yes," she smiled back somewhat shyly, "very."

"Ah..." he didn't say anything more.

"Maybe we can play it again," she said hopefully.

"Yes, I'd love to." the way he said it was so... deep, it sent a warm shiver down her spine.

As soon as they entered Trafalgar House and were alone in the hall, he said quietly

"Now you will know my revenge."

Alarmed, she stared at him, but then he grabbed her and kissed her so passionately and so much force that her knees gave way and she whimpered softly. When he released himself from her, he looked at her with sparkling eyes and whispered quite sensuously in her ear.

"The play isn’t over yet."

Then he ran after his family into the dining room and Charlotte were left breathless and slightly shocked standing against the wall in the hall.

"Oh," Charlotte thought as she tried to catch her breath, but came to the conclusion

"No, it isn’t.“


	5. Nine Men's Morris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidney challenges Charlotte to a duel in Nine Men's Morris, unsuspecting that she is good at the game...but that was just an excuse to play another game....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last update was more than half a year ago, but I was a bit distracted by my other stories. And now that "The Hall" is finished since one week, I thought I'd give you the last chapter of this story as a little present for the one year anniversary of the UK premiere of our beloved show.

In the evening after dinner, games were played and Sidney challenged Charlotte to play Nine Men's Morris with him, with the ulterior motive of teasing her out of her reserve, but unaware that she loved the game and had won every game so far. He was so distracted by her appearance that he didn't listen to Jennifer and Alicia's warning and felt safe. Even though Sidney was trying to make her lose her balance with his small hints about what had happened between them today with the shuttlecock and especially afterwards, Charlotte was highly concentrated.  


Sidney, who was also good at the game, had announced in a pompous way that the winner would decide the next game and in Charlotte's head the idea of which game that should be was already forming. After she had easily won the first game, he naturally wanted revenge. After he had disconcerted her with a light touch on her fingers, she was so distracted that he won the game and they played a third game. But already during the round Sidney changed the rules that had been agreed upon and asked if they would like to set five games won as a victory, he just wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. Charlotte just nodded and won this round and the next. After playing so concentrated, they hadn't noticed the rest of the Parker family standing around them watching them play. Tom stood behind Sidney and gave unasked tip. Henry cheered Sidney on and cried loudly as Sidney won the next round.  


The girls were already celebrating their victory when Charlotte won her fourth game and grinned cheekily at Sidney. She was glad that the others were standing around them, so they could neither talk about what had happened, nor could he disconcert them with light touches on their hands. What she hadn't expected was that he would try to distract her under the table. He pushed his long legs so far forward that he touched hers to the side and she pushed the stone the wrong way and Sidney laughed as he too won his fourth game. As if it was all about a big win, the children started to give their favourite a drink and bring them some biscuits for a snack in between.  


Henry even massaged Sidney's shoulders and Alicia and Jennifer did the same with Charlotte's arms and hands. And when Jennifer massaged Charlotte's hand and each finger separately, he knew what belonged there. He nodded at the thought and in his mind formed the idea of what he would suggest as the game to come. But it was not to come to that. Because both were so highly concentrated and eager to win that they built their paths in such a way that nobody could make a move and they both had to admit defeat. But before they could play one more game, Jennifer called out.  


"You are equally strong!"  


And Henry begged "One more, one more! Or else there's no champion!"  


But Mary replied, "There doesn't always have to be a champion", who wanted to avoid going far, because she wanted to finally put the children to bed. It was already late.  


"Your mother's right" agreed with Charlotte and she gave her smile to Sidney who looked at her enchanted and said more to her than anyone else.  


"Sometimes both win."  


Charlotte understood that his words meant more than just the game and looked at him with emotion. Their eyes got entangled and they both did not notice the children wishing them good night and them leaving the room with their mother.  


"What game do you want to play?"

Henry called to them from the door and all eyes rested on them for a while until, as if from one mouth, they answered

"Blind Man's Bluff".

"Oh?" Sidney seemed astonished and asked, "What variation?"  
"The one where the person sitting next to you answers the questions." She leaned over the table and asked him "What's your version?"  


"The one in which everyone's answer is yes or no."

They looked deep into each other's eyes and forgot for a moment that Tom was still in the room, but he didn't seem to want to play and just said.  
"Well, play until we come back" and left the room.

"Well, go on, Miss Heywood."  
"My version doesn't work, there's no neighbour," she raised her eyebrows as if to ask if he hadn't noticed that yet.

"Ask the question you want to ask and I'll help you find the answer." He even winked at her cheekily and she narrowed her eyes towards him.

"Why are you..." she took a deep breath and started again, "Why is Mr Parker teasing me like that?"  
"Why do you think?"  
"Because he's trying to annoy me?"  
"No."  
"Because he wants to see how I react?"  
"Yes, that's about right."  
"Just yes or no Mr Parker." Both smirked.  
"Because he wants to confuse me?"  
"Yes."  
"Why is he doing that?"  
"Ask questions to which the answers are yes or no Miss Heywood."  
Charlotte thought with a grin and then asked in a somewhat shaky voice.  
"Does he dislike me?"  
"No."  
"So does Mr Parker like me?"  
"Yes."  
"How much?"  
"Miss Heywood." Sidney looked at her piercingly and she changed her question. "Does he like me very much?"  
"Yes."

Her heart was beating up to her neck and she swallowed, but she couldn't ask any further and nodded. She moved her hand towards him and gave him the floor.

"All right," Sidney stretched in his chair and asked  
"Does Miss Heywood like me?"  
Charlotte nodded with a smile.  
"Miss Heywood?" He followed up.  
"Yes."  
"Very much?"  
"Yes." Charlotte blushed and looked at the table before her.  
"So much so that she would marry me?"

Surprised, she looked up and looked into his hopeful face. Laughing she inhaled and asked.  
"Mr Parker?"  
"Miss Heywood?"  
"Why do you want to marry me?” Charlotte asked with a supressed smile.  
"Is that a yes?"  
"Answer my question, please, Mr Parker."  
"Why do you think?" He smirked.  
"Maybe because you love me?" she breathed and could almost not look back at him.  
"You are absolutely right!" 

Charlotte looked at the table and couldn’t believe what happened.  
Sidney smiled and asked her while he took her hand.  
"And?"  
"What do you mean?" she couldn’t remember the question.  
"Are you making me the happiest man on the face of the earth and marry me?"

"Yes!"


End file.
